102 candidates file for by-elections

Herald Reporters— ONE-hundred-and-two candidates yesterday successfully filed their nomination papers in different parts of the country to contest in 14 by-elections set for June 10 which fell vacant following the recall of 21 legislators by MDC-T. One of the candidates, Albert Mhlanga, who successfully filed his papers for Pumula constituency in Bulawayo, was among 21 legislators who were booted out recently and wants to retain the seat.

No candidates filed nomination papers on the ticket of any of the MDC formations after they boycotted the by-elections in the wake of successive defeats at the hands of Zanu-PF in parliamentary and local authority by-elections held since the 2013 harmonised elections.

Analysts say MDC-T’s fear of electoral contestation is manifest in the party’s decision to fill seven seats from the 21 which it won through proportional representation in the harmonised elections.

The party has been widely criticised for being hypocritical by accepting to fill the proportional representation seats while boycotting constituency-based by-elections.

Cde Terence Mukupe who had won the Zanu-PF primary elections for Harare East and succesfully filed his papers was disqualified after Zanu-PF secretary for Administration wrote to the nomination court to withrdaw his name.